The third and final stage in Hong Kong takes the riders to a waterfall. They start at the bottom and have to ride all the way to the top, over a road of course. There are some climbs beforehand, but expect the decision to be made on the final climb. Kelderman has assumed leadership of the race but the time trial folded the field back together, with many riders still with a chance of winning the race if they climb well.
Soon after the start we have the first two attackers: Fernandez and Antonijevic. Both are more than 10 minutes behind in the GC and not a threat.
An interesting name joins them: Eiking, 25th in the GC at 2'49. Will the peloton allow him to be part of the breakaway?
More riders wish to join, in the distance Schultz and Van Poucke are almost there, and now Marquez and Manfredi want to join. Two strong climbers but far down in the GC, so the stage win is their only goal.
Vichot also rides away. The first team starting to chase is Guave for KoM Wahyudi, even chasing himself. Can't he simply attack himself to get points? First mountain sprint is in seven kilometer.
Eventually a Guave rider attacks, but it's Zordan. Seibeb and Moscon, both dangerous riders, follow as well. The breakaway is getting quite large.
Schultz is the only one who had points to his name previously. By beating Fernandez on this category three climb, he ties with Wahyudi at 22 points. Third place and two points went to Antonijevic. Manfredi and Marquez have joined the breakaway, Zordan and Vichot the only riders left between E1 and P.
Attacks are far from over though, the front seven lead by two minutes with the chasing duo on the verge of joining, but Lindau and Nepomnyachsniy also want in. Third Gjensidige rider and second Swisslion rider for the break respectively.
The next category two climb is won by Eiking with a decisive margin. The breakaway split up in two groups, with Manfredi, Schultz, Marquez and Fernandez in that order at 40 seconds. It means Schultz is now solo leader with 28 points. With a third category up next and the finish being of the first category, 22 points are still up for grabs.
Lindau, Van Poucke, Antonijevic, Zordan and Nepomnyachsniy at another 40 seconds. Vichot completely exploded and is back in the peloton at three minutes.
The peloton proceeds to put the hammer down, catching everyone bar Eiking who wins another mountain sprint. Higuita takes four points as peloton leader, with Schultz taking an extra two points for security. Unless the Norwegian wins the stage*, the Australian will win the mountains classification. Besada and Houle are the other chasers, Kelderman already in fifth place.
* Ignoring Wahyudi, Ries and Cepeda who all have a mathematical chance, but let's be realistic.
Unlike the first stage, this one does contain intermediate sprints. While largely unimportant for the points classification, they do offer bonus seconds which might be important in the end. Eiking is still the sole leader with 65 kilometer to go, but he is under full control by the peloton, the gap constantly around two minutes.
Despite two and one bonus seconds still available, there is no sprint. Petelin and Dumoulin got them because they happened to lead at the line. MOL also actively chasing with Pons and Abdurrahman. 129 riders in the peloton with no important rider dropping out.
35 kilometer to go, Eiking's lead goes down but he does win the next sprint by a margin of 40 seconds. We have two riders sprinting for the bonus seconds behind him... Guillen and Rajovic, 163rd and 177th in the GC at 23 and 31 minutes respectively. 162nd/176th place doesn't bring extra points guys, neither does your 30th place in the points classification. Yellow jersey Kelderman has been attentive at the front all day but is now somewhere midpack, along with his nearest rivals.
Eiking is eventually caught with 20 kilometer to go. Riders from Popo4Ever, Polar, Azteca and Duolingo bring the riders to the final climb. Kelderman is back at front, as are all the other riders high up in the GC.
The final climb starts at the arch of five kilometer, and none of the 157 remaining riders had it in their mind to attack on the flat. Besada has the honor of starting the climb first. Kelderman all the way to the right around 20th position behind Chaves. On his wheel are Borges and Izagirre. Padun, Preidler and Areruya a few positions behind, then Slagter, Cattaneo and surprisingly still Paillot.
With three kilometer we enter the preventive barriers, Besada led up that point but is now relieved by Prevar. Izagirre and Borges are right behind the domestiques but Kelderman is struggling to maintain his position at the front. However, direct rivals such as Preidler, Slagter, Areruya and Padun are not far ahead of him.
Two kilometer and Borges takes the lead together with Chaves. From behind we see Slagter with an acceleration to move forward. Kelderman has also finally found his gear, Meurisse, Yates, Moscon and Izagirre the only riders left between the two Dutchmen. The other three of the big five right behind them, with Cattaneo, Ahmad Zamri and Gallopin a bit further behind, Paillot now near the back.
Why wait for your rivals to make a move? Kelderman attacks himself and finally opens the race. Slagter has to follow, Meurisse and Yates attempt to. Areruya and Padun caught napping a bit, Borges and Izagirre victim of the steeper inside line and the other contenders see their chances of winning growing ever smaller.
Kelderman might have been a bit too enthusiastic as he cannot maintain his lead as we enter the final kilometer, Padun turns out to be the first rider under the flag. Yates, Slagter, Areruya and Meurisse behind him, the yellow jersey on the left with Chaves and Preidler. A small gap opens up to the next group of riders which includes Konig, Borges, Izagirre, Dunbar and Denifl amongst others. Time differences will be minimal today.
With 500 meters to go Preidler moves alongside Padun, these two seem to sprint for victory. Kelderman falling further back, behind Yates and Slagter with Chaves passing him as well. Areruya glued to his wheel it seems. Cattaneo is now only on the back of 'group' Izagirre, totally out of the picture.
200 meters, Preidler with the slight edge. Perhaps a time gap will be awarded to the next group, which both need to beat Kelderman in the GC. Yates and Slagter still lead his group but the yellow jersey manages equal pace, and the group behind is closing in with Konig already cathing up to Meurisse.
Georg Preidler holds on and wins his second stage by a few centimeters over Padun. To win the GC, the Austrian needs a gap of 28 seconds to be awarded, doesn't look like it will be that big. The time trial was his downfall, but still a great race with two stage wins, the points classification, runner-up in the mountains classification and likely a GC podium. The Ukrainian only needs a minimal gap and Areruya not finishing third to win the young rider classification.
The latter condition happens, as Yates crooses the line in third place. Slagter fourth, Chaves fifth, Areruya sixth...
Wilco Kelderman seventh. He should clearly get the same time as Yates, and there was only an eight second gap from the winner to this group, hence he wins the Hong Kong Challenge 2020! Slagter joins him on the podium at sixteen seconds, while today's gap and bonus seconds are enough to put Preidler back on the podium at 20 seconds. Mark Padun passes Areruya by two seconds for fourth place and the young rider classification. These five can rightfully be called the big five of this race.
Behind, Meurisse holds off Konig for eighth.
Kebede tenth, Denifl eleventh. They also finish at eight seconds from the winner, but a time gap is awarded to those behind them.
Carpenter leads home the next group at 24 seconds. In here are Dunbar, Bettiol, Prevar, Topchanyuk, Moscon, Izagirre, Ahmad Zamri, Cattaneo, Borges, Gebrezgabihier, Petilli and Hoelgaard.
The next group of riders finishes at 48 seconds, but it extends quite a while back. Paillot, who only finishes 59th, is given this time, as are most of the other riders who were in the GC top 20.
The consequences for the minor GC positions are as follows: Izagirre has finished sixth at 1'20, Cattaneo seventh (+ 1'24), Ahmad Zamri eighth (+ 1'30), Konig ninth (+ 1'43) and Dunbar tenth (+ 1'48). Paillot falls away to eleventh, same time as the Irishman, which is still an unexpected GC result for the Frenchman. Completing the top twenty are Yates, Faiers, Lunke, Gallopin, Denifl, Chaves, Cort Nielsen, Carpenter and Bazhkou.
Trips to the podium are also in order for Nicholas Schultz as winner of the mountains classification, and the entire Xero team for the teams classification.
